Parma's three public high schools will compete in a new athletic conference starting in the 2015-2016 school year. The unnamed league will also include Bay Village, Rocky River, Holy Name and Elyria Catholic.Steve Kurucz, Special to Sun News

PARMA, Ohio – The Parma school board on Tuesday voted to enter Parma Senior, Normandy and Valley Forge high schools into a new athletic conference that would include include Bay Village, Rocky River, Holy Name and Elyria Catholic.

The as-yet-unnamed league will start play in the 2015-16 school year. At least one additional member is being sought.

The Parma schools began searching for a new home following the dismantling of the Northeast Ohio Conference that began in September. Bay, River and Elyria Catholic faced a similar situation after the collapse of the West Shore Conference.

Holy Name is currently a member of the North Coast Conference.

Parma Superintendent Jeff Graham said the composition of the new league was based on a desire for members to be in relatively close proximity, have similar levels of competitiveness and field teams in most of the same sports.

"When we were first faced with not having a conference for 2015, we were a little concerned. We didn't know what was going to happen," Parma Athletics Supervisor Dave Allenick said. "But in the end, I think this new conference is really good for all of our schools, and, most importantly, for the kids."

Stow, Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Twinsburg and North Royalton announced in September they would be leaving the NOC for the Suburban League. Soon after, Mentor, Brunswick, Medina, Solon, Shaker Heights, Strongsville and Elyria declared their inclusion in the new Greater Cleveland Conference. Brush and Mayfield are departing for the new Western Reserve Conference.

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